Aberdeen scientists to undertake research into coastal marine communities in Antarctica

Aberdeen scientists to undertake research into coastal marine communities in Antarctica

A new project to be undertaken by scientists from the University of Aberdeen will provide a unique insight into the ecology and biodiversity of seabed communities in Antarctica.

The study, which is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), will investigate how seaweeds colonize areas that were covered by Antarctic glaciers for hundreds of thousands of years until recently. The study will also explore how they manage to spend more than half the year in darkness and will assess how the changing conditions throughout the year affect various species living in the ocean.

The work will be based at Rothera (the UK’s major research station in Antarctica).

The research will rely on year round diving surveys by the Rothera Marine Team, which will be initiated by the lead scientists, where they will spend around six weeks assessing marine communities.

Professor Frithjof Kuepper, who is leading the project with Professor Lloyd S. Peck from British Antarctic Survey, and who will be diving himself, said: “This is a very exciting project as it will give us the opportunity to discover more about the biodiversity present in Antarctica – and how it is being affected by the ongoing shrinking of glaciers and ice shelves.

“We also should get new insight how marine plants – which rely on sunlight to drive their metabolism – can survive in half a year of darkness under sea ice and in the polar night.

“The findings from this research will contribute to a better understanding of how ongoing climate change is changing marine biodiversity in areas of shrinking ice shelves of the polar regions – and of the unique adaptations that polar marine life has not just to cope with freezing temperatures, but also prolonged periods of darkness.”

 

Search News

Browse by Month

2024

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2024
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2024
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2024
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2024

2022

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2022
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

2016

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2016
  2. Feb
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2016
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2016
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2016
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2016
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2016
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2016
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

2015

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2015
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2015
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2015
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2015
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2015
  6. Jun
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2015
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2015
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2015
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2015
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2015
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2015

2014

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2014
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2014
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2014
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2014
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2014
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2014

2013

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2013
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2013
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2013
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2013

2012

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2012
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2012
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2012
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

2011

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2011
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2011
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2011
  4. Apr
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2011
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2011
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2011
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2011
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2011
  10. Oct
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2011
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2011